Guide bar lifting mechanism for warp knitting machines



Jan. 19, 1960 H. c. NOE 2,921,453

GUIDE BAR LIFTING MECHANISM FOR WARP KNITTING MACHINES Filed April 5. 1956 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR HAROLD C. Nos

Jun 19, 1960 c, NOE 2,921,453

GUIDE BAR LI NG MEG HANISM FOR WARP KNI ING MACHINES Filed April 5. 1956 3 Sheet s-Sheet 2 INVENTOR HARQLD (3. Nos

Jan. 19, 1960 H. c. NOE 2,921,453

GUIDE BAR LIFTING MECHANISM FOR WARP KNITTING MACHINES Filed April 5, 1956 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 g HAROLD a United States Patent GUIDE BAR LIFTIN G MECHANISM FOR WARP KNITTING MACHINES Harold C. Noe, Upper Montclair, NJ., assignor to Kidde Textile Machinery Corporation, Bloomfield, NJ., a corporation of Delaware Application April 5, 1956, Serial No. 576,433

19 Claims. (CI. 6686) The present invention relates to warp knitting machines, and, more particularly to a guide bar lifting mechanism which is an improvement over the mechanism shown in United States Letters Patent No. 2,634,594.

The present invention is primarily concerned with warp knitting machines of the tricot type, as shown in the aforementioned patent, which generally include a guide bar rock shaft, brackets mounted on the rock shaft for movement therewith, front and back guide bars slidably supported by hangers on the brackets with the front guide bar hangers constructed and arranged to permit lifting or removal of the front guide bar, and mechanism for lifting the front guide bar hangers to make the back guide but guide elements accessible and facilitate threading the warp in setting up the machine or to enable broken warp threads to be rethreaded.

In the past, it has been customary to utilize such lifting mechanism which included a control shaft substantially coextensive with the rock shaft and mounted on the hanger supporting brackets, and means for effecting movement of the control shaft. This required that the control shaft be rocked with the brackets which added considerable .weight to the mass being moved by the rock shaft. For example, in a machine having a warp fourteen feet wide, a one half inch control shaft and suitable hearings on the brackets for supporting the shaft weighed about ten pounds, and this weight represents about fifteen percent of the total weight of the elements moved by the rock shaft. Since the weight of the mass moved by the rock shaft dictates the speed of operation of a knitting machine of a given design, the machine must be run at that speed or must be sturdier in design to permit operation at higher speeds, but, to so design the machine, would increase the cost and the weight thereof.

Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a guide bar lifting mechanism which enables knitting machines of a given design to be operated at higher speed than heretofore dicatated by such design.

Another object is to provide such a guide bar lifting mechanism which reduces the mass required to be moved by the guide bar rock shaft.

Another object is to provide such a guide bar lifting mechanism which is adapted for use with knitting machines having two or more guide bars.

Another object is to provide such mechanism wherein a single operating shaft controls the lifting of the front and intermediate guide bars.

Another object is to provide such mechanism which is readily operated and serves to lock the hangers in their normal position in a novel manner.

A further object is to provide such a guide bar lifting mechanism which is simple and economical in construction and is practical and reliable in operation.

Other and further objects of the invention will be obvious upon an understainding of the illustrative embodiment about to be described, or will be indicated in the appended claims, and various advantages not re- 2,921,453 Patented Jan. 19, 1960 ferred to herein will occur to one skilled in the art upon employment of the invention in practice.

In accordance with the present invention, the foregoing objects are generally accomplished by providing a guide bar lifting mechanism comprising a bracket mounted on the rock shaft for movement therewith having means arranged for slidably supporting and permitting lifting of the front or the front and intermediate guide bar hangers, a member on the bracket adapted to effect lifting of each hanger, a movable member for each lifting member, a spring element connecting the lifting and movable members and means for moving each movable member, to effect lifting of the front guide bar or the front and intermediate guide bars.

For purposes of convenience, the present invention will be illustrated and described in connection with a knitting machine having three guide bars wherein the front and intermediate guide bars are provided with liftting mechanism, whereby the intermediate bar and the bar in back of it are accessbile. However, it will be readily understood that the invention is equally applicable to a two guide bar machine simply by omitting the intermediate bar or the front bar (of a three bar machine) and its lifting mechanism, whereby the bar in back of the forward bar is accessible.

A preferred embodiment of the invention has been chosen for purposes of illustration and description, and is shown in the accompanying drawings, forming a part of the specification, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary front elevational view of one set of guide bar hangers and the mechanism for effecting lifting of the front and intermediate guide bars.

Fig. 2 is an end view of the apparatus shown in Fig. 1 with the elements thereof in their normal position.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged sectional view taken along the line 33 on Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged sectional view taken along the line 44 on Fig. 1 with the elements shown in their normal position.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged sectional view taken along the line 5-5 on Fig. 1 illustrating the elements for effecting lifting of the front guide bar hanger in their operated position.

Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 4 with the elements for effecting lifting of the intermediate guide bar hanger in a partly operated position.

Referring to the Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings in detail, a portion of a knitting machine is shown which generally includes a guide bar rock shaft 10, one of the several bearing brackets 11 mounted on the frame of the machine for supporting the rock shaft, one of the several brackets 12 mounted on the rock shaft 10 for movement therewith having means arranged for slidably supporting front, intermediate and back guide bar hangers 14, 15 and 16, and for permitting lifting of the front and intermediate guide bar hangers, members 17 and 18 for lifting the hangers 14 and 15, respectively, and means for effecting operation of the members 17 and 18, as described hereinafter.

The guide bar hangers are constructed and arranged in the conventional manner with the back guide bar hanger being fixed and the front and intermediate guide bar hangers each having upper and lower cross bars 20 and 21 which are positioned and supported for longitudinal and up and down movement in upper and lower llaearing slots in blocks 22 and 23 carried by the bracket As shown more clearly in Figs. 2 and 3, the lifting members 17 and 18 each are pivotally mounted on one of the upper blocks 22 to the side of the slot thereof, and are arranged to engage the underside of the cross bars 20 inthe slot to 1m the cross bars wherebythe hanger assemblies and the guide bars supported thereon are raised.

In order to accomplish this, the members 17 and 18 include .a forwardly extending arm 24 formed with an upper arcuate cam portion 25 which engages the underside of the cross bar 20 and with a toe 26 at .the free ,end thereof which engages the front of the cross bar when the cross bar is raised and acts as a stop to enable the cross bar to rest on the outer end of the cam :portion 25 in its raised position. The members 17 and 18 further include an upwardly extending arm 27 which carries or is formed with an element 28 adapted to overlie and engage the upper surfaces of the cross bars 20 in sliding relation when the elements are in their normal position to retain the cross bars in the groove of the blocks 22. Preferably, as shown in Fig. 3 the element 28 is a plate or block formed with a vertical slot 29 through which a screw 30 extends to fasten the element 28 to the arm 27 for up and down adjustment, whereby agood sliding fit is assured to effectively retain the cross bar 20. This feature is desirable to compensate for wear of the contacting surface of the cross bar 20 and the element 28 which would otherwise result in slight clearance therebetween and would allow the cross bar to float and eventually cause uneven wear of the bearing surfaces.

The means for effecting operation of the members 17 and 18, previously referred to, are illustrated herein as a lever system which generally comprises elements 31 and :32 formed with bearing and mounted on the frame of the machine by the bracket 11 (Fig. 1), an operating shaft 34 and shafts 35 and 36 for effecting operation of the lifting members 17 and 18 rotatably supported by the bearing elements, an arm 37 mounted on the shaft 35 and connected by a spring element 38 to the member 17 (Fig. 2), an arm 39 mounted on the shaft 36 and connected by a spring element 40 to the member 18, levers 41 and 42 mounted for rotation with the shafts 35 and 36, respectively, and elements 44 and 45 mounted on the shaft 34 for rotation therewith and constructed and arranged to effect operation of the levers 41 and 42, respectively, in the manner about to be described.

As shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the shafts 34, 35 and 36 are parallel to each other and to the rock shaft 10, with the shafts 35 and 36 substantially at the same level and the shaft 34 above the shaft 36, to provide a compact arrangement for these shafts, whereby support thereof by the same bearing elements is facilitated and the levers 41 and 42 and their operating elements 44 and 45 occupy a minimum of space. The arms 37 and 39 "depend from the shafts 35 and 36 and are located in 'back of the back guide bar hanger 16 (Fig. 2).

As shown in Figs. 2 and 5, the lever 41 extends upwardly from the shaft 35 and has a laterally extending pin 46 at its upper end. The element 44 for operating the lever 41 has a horizontal rearwardly extending section and an upwardly extending section located above the shaft 35 and adjacent the lever 41. The upper portion of this upwardly extending section is formed with a forwardly and downwardly extending slot 47 which is open at the bottom thereof for receiving the pin 46. The surface 48 defining the bottom of the slot 47 is contoured to serve as a cam for engaging the pin 46 and cause the lever 41 to be rocked and the forwardly facing surface 49 just below the open end of the slot is contoured to ride over the pin 46 as will be made apparent in describing the operation of the lever system.

As shown in Figs. 2, 4 and 6, the lever 42 is arcuate to enable the same to clear the shaft 34 at the front thereof and to extend above this shaft, and has a laterally extending pin 50 at its upper end. The element 45 for operating the lever 42 extends upwardly from the shaft 34 and is formed with ,a relatively wide slot or recess 51 for receiving the pin 50. The width of this slot is .del e y qp s r t o fl and .53 ,spacedapart a tance greater than the diameter of the pin, whereby one or the other of these portions engages the pin 50 as will be made apparent in describing the operation of the lever system.

The spring elements 38 and 40 are shown herein as being constructed of wire, such as piano wire, to facilitate connection to the lifting members 17 and 18 and the arms 37 and .39 simply inserting offset end portions thereof into apertures in the lifting members and the arms, and to extend laterally to pass structure of the hanger bracket. These spring elements are bowed upwardly to bias the lifting members forwardly (as viewed in Fig. 2) and to cause the elements 28 to bear on the hanger cross bars 20. Also, by so bowing the spring elements, normal relative movement between the lifting members and their operating arms induced by the rock shaft 10 does not impair the cross bar lock because the spring elements flex without relieving the bias on the lifting members.

It will also be noted that the members 17 and .13 each pivot about a joint adjacently beneath the bearing block slot, which point is on or near to the radial ,are about the rock shaft along which the center of mass of the guide bar hanger is effective. Consequently, the upward thrust of the cross bar 20 against the element 28 is substantially in the same plane as the pivot point so that there is no moment tending to rotate the members 17 and 18 as they are moved with the rock shaft. Thus, the upward thrust of the cross bars 20 actually holds the members against possible rotative movement, whereby the cross bars are positively locked against shifting up.- wardly in thebearing block slots during operationof the machine. As a result of this arrangement, the springs 38 and 40 need only exert a sufficient force to maintain the members 17 and 18 so positioned, and .need not be relied upon to supply a locking force.

:In operation, when the various elements are in the position shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 4, lifting of the guide bar hangers can be effected .by rotating the shaft 34 in a counterclockwise direction (as viewed in Figs. 2 and 4'). Such rotation is accomplished by any conventional link and lever system (not shown) under the control of the operator along the front of the machine which system applies a spring bias to the shaft 34 in a clockwise direction to cause the slot 47 and the portion 52 to respectively lock the pins 46 and 50, whereby movement within the guide bar hanger lifting system is prevented and the bias of the spring elements .on the lifting member is maintained.

As shown in Fig. 5, turning of the shaft 34 counterclockwise causes the lever operating element 44 to be rocked upwardly and forwardly whereupon the cam surface 48 is effective to move the pin 46 forwardly and rock the lever 41, the shaft 35 and the arm 37 in a counterclockwise direction. This causes the arm 37 to pull the spring element 38 rearwardly, whereby this pull is transmitted to the lifting member 17 to rock the same clockwise (as viewed in Fig. 2) and cause the same to first release and then lift the hanger cross bar 20 to raise the front guide bar. When the pin 46 reaches the open end of the slot 47, the front guide bar is in its fully raised position. Upon further rotation of the shaft 34 and rocking of the element 44 carried thereon, the surface 49 rides over the pin 46 and restrains movement of the pin 46 in a clockwise direction due to the weight of the front guide bar and its hanger assembly, whereby the front glide bar is locked in its fully raised position and the intermediate guide bar is accessible.

As shown in Fig. 6, while the front guide bar is raised as just described, the shaft 34 rocks the lever operating element 45 counterclockwise so that its portion 52 releases the pin 50 of the lever 42 and its portion 53 is now brought into engagement with this pin. Upon still fur ther rotation of the shaft 34 and rocking of the element 45 carried thereon, theportion53 is effective to more the pin 50 forwardly and rock the lever 42, the shaft 36 and the arm 38 counterclockwise, thus causing the lifting member 18 to be operated through its spring element 40 and raise the intermediate guide bar just like the member 17 lifts the front guide .bar.

When the front and intermediate guide bars both are in their fully raised position, a toggle in the conventional link and lever system (not shown) for rotating the shaft 34 locks the shaft 34 against clockwise rotation,

whereby the pins 36 and 40 are restrained by the portions 49 and 53,. respectively, to lock these guide bars in such position and facilitate access to the back guide The guide bars are lowered byfirst releasing the toggle lock-and then turning the shaft 34 clockwise, whereupon the portion 53 releases the pin 50 and the intermediate guide .bar descends by gravity and the pin 46 reenters the slot 47 and is gradually released to enable the front guide bar to descend. As these guide bars again assume their normal operating position, the members 17 and 18 under the influence of their springs are again effective to cause the elements 28 to lock in the hanger cross bars.

While only one guide bar hanger assembly supporting bracket l2 is illustrated, herein, it will be understood that knitting machines of the type described have a number of such brackets, depending upon the width of the warp, and that each bracket is equipped with arms 37 and-39 for operating lifting members 17 and 18 through spring elements 38 and 40. All of the arms 37 and 39, respectively, are mounted for rotation with the shafts 35 and 36 which can be controlled by one or more units comprising levers 41 and 42 and lever operating elements 44 and 45 under the control of the shaft 34. Thus, a plurality of members 17 and 18 act simultaneously to effect lifting or lowering of the respectiveguide bar hangers and the guide bars are retained in horizontal alignment at all times.

- From the foregoing description, it will be seen that the .present invention provides an improved guide bar lifting mechanism which is applicable to two and three bar warp knitting machines; and which is simple and economical in construction and practical and reliable in operation. This mechanism reduces the load formerly carried and oscillated by the rock shaft and thereby enables the machines to be operated safely at higher speeds than heretofore possible. The spring element connections between the lifting members and their operating arms play an important part in reducing the load of the rock shaft, because they provide a rugged flexible coupling between oscillating and normally stationary parts, whereby the operating elements for the lifting members canbe mounted on'the frame of the machine. Since, the weight of such elements now has no effect on the rock shaft, they can be of a sturdier design which provides for more positive operation and longer life of the lifting mechanism. g

' As various changes may be made in the form, construction and arrangement of the parts herein, without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention and without sacrificing any of its adventages, it is to be understood that all matter herein is to be interpreted as illustrative and not in any limiting sense.

I claim:

1. In a warp knitting machine, the combination of a frame, a front guide bar, a guide bar in back of the front guide bar, a hanger for the front guide bar, a guide bar rock shaft supported by the frame, and a front guide bar lifting mechanism comprising a bracket mounted on the rock shaft for movement therewith having means arranged for slidably supporting and permitting lifting of the front guide bar hanger, a member pivotally mounted on said bracket having a portion for lifting the hanger, an arm pivotally mounted on the frame, said arm being mounted adjacent said rock shaft and being stationary during the operation of said rock shaft, a bendable spring element connecting said arm and said member for permitting relative motion between said arm and said member during the operation of said rock shaft, and means on the frame for rocking said arm when said rock shaft is inactive, whereby said spring element rocks said member to effect lifting of the front guide bar.

2. Lifting mechanism according to claim 1, wherein said spring element is a steel wire.

3. Lifting mechanism according to claim 1, wherein said portion of said member is a cam.

4. Lifting mechanism according to claim 1, wherein said member has a portion normally engaging the hanger to restrain the hanger against lifting thereof.

5. Lifting mechanism according to claim 4, wherein said spring element normally is bent to exert a force on said member to maintain said restraining portion in engagement with the hanger.

6. Lifting mechanism according to claim 4, wherein said restraining portion is a blockand means are provided for adjustably mounting said block on said memher.

7. In a warp knitting machine, the combination of a frame, a front guide bar, a back guide bar, an intermediate guide bar, a hanger for the front guide bar, a hanger for the intermediate guide bar, a guide bar rock shaft supported by the frame, and a front and intermediate guide bar lifting mechanism comprising a bracket mounted on the rock shaft for movement therewith having means arranged for slidably supporting and permitting lifting of the front and intermediate guide bar hangers, a member pivotally mounted on said bracket having a portion for lifting the front guide bar hanger, an arm pivotally mounted on the frame, a bendable spring element connecting said arm and said member, a second member pivotally mounted on said bracket having a portion adapted to effect lifting of the intermediate guide bar hanger, a second arm pivotally mounted on the frame, a second bendable spring element connecting said second arm and said second member, said arms being mounted adjacent said rock shaft and being stationary during the operation of said rock shaft to permit relative motion between said respective arms and members during the operation of said ro'ck shaft, and means on the frame for rocking said arms when said rock shaft is inactive whereby said spring elements rock said members to effect lifting of the front and intermediate guide bars.

8. Lifting mechanism according to claim 7, wherein said last mentioned means constitute a lever system constructed and arranged to first effect lifting of the front guide bar hanger and thereafter to effect lifting of the intermediate guide bar hanger.

9. Lifting mechanism according to claim 8, wherein said system includes a rotatable operating shaft parallel to the rock shaft.

10. Lifting mechanism according to claim 9, wherein said system includes a first rotatable shaft parallel to the rock shaft and having said first arm mounted thereon for rotation therewith, a second rotatable shaft parallel to the rock shaft and having said second arm mounted thereon for rotation therewith, a first lever mounted for rotation with said first shaft, a second lever mounted for rotation with said second shaft, an element for operating said first lever mounted on said operating shaft, and a second element for operating said second lever mounted on said operating shaft.

11. Lifting mechanism according to claim 10, wherein said operating elements are contoured and located with respect to their levers so as to effect lifting of the guide lever pin torock said first lever :to eflect lifting of the front guide bar and contoured to ride over said first lever pin after the front guide bar has been lifted, said second lever operating element has a cam portion normally spaced from said second lever pin and located to engage said second lever pin and rock said second lever toefiect lifting of the intermediate guide bar upon further rotative movement of said operating shaft after the "front guide bar has been lifted.

13. In a warp knitting machine, the combination of a frame, a front guide bar, a back guide bar, a=hanger for the front guide bar, and a guide bar rock shaft supported by the frame, and a front guide bar lifting mechanism comprising a bracket mounted on the rock shaft for movement therewith having means arranged for slidably supporting and permitting lifting of the front guide bar hanger, a member on said bracket for lifting the hanger, a movable member mounted on the frame adjacent said rock and being stationary during the operation of said rock shaft, a bendable spring element connecting said members for permitting relative motion .therebetween during operation of said rock shaft, and means on the framefor moving said movable member when said rock shaft is inactiveto effect lifting of the "front guide bar.

14. In a warp knitting machine, the combination of a frame, a guide bar rock shaft supported by said frame, a bracket mounted on said rock shaft for movement therewith, a front guide bar, a back guide bar, hangers for slidably supporting said guide bars on saidbracket, means on said bracket arranged to permit lifting of said vfront guide bar hanger, a member on said bracket adapted to effect lifting of the front guide bar hanger, a control shaft mounted on said frame substantially coextensivewith said rock shaft and structurally independentthereof, a member mounted for movement with said :control shaft, a bendable spring element connecting said members, and means for moving said control shaft to effect lifting of said front guide bar.

15. In a warp knitting machine, the combination of a frame, a guide bar rock shaft supported by said frame, a bracket mounted on said rock shaftfor movement therewith, a front guide bar, a back guide bar, an intermediate guide bar, hangers for slidably supporting said guide bars on said bracket, means on said bracket arranged to permit lifting of said front guide bar and said intermediate guide bar successively, a first member on said bracket adapted to effect lifting of the front guide bar hanger, a second member on said bracket adapted to effect lifting of the intermediate guide bar hanger, first andsecond control shafts mounted on said frame coextensive with said rock shaft and structurally independent thereof, a member mounted for movement with said first control shaft, a member mounted for movement with said second control shaft, a first bendable spring element a connecting said first lifting member and said first control shaft member, a second bendable spring element connect- 8 ing said second lifting said second control shaft member,and means for moving said control shafts to effect lifting :of said front and intermediate guide bar hangers.

16. A knitting machine-according to claim 15, wherein said last mentioned means include elements constructed and arranged to first effect lifting of said 'front'guide bar and upon further operation thereof to effect lifting of said intermediate guide bar while'maintaining said front guide bar in its lifted position.

17. In a warp knitting machine, the combination ofa guide bar, a hanger for said guide bar including an upper cross bar, a bracket including a bearing block having a slot for slidably supporting'saidcross bar, a rock shaft having said bracket secured-thereto for movement therewith, a member pivotally mounted on said bracket adjacently beneath said bearing block slot having an upwardly extending arm formed with a portion normally overlying said cross bar to retain said cross bar'in said bearing slot, and means for operating said member to effect release of said cross bar including a spring element having one end "connected to said operating means and having its other end connected to said member, said spring element serving to normally urge said member into a position "to effect locking ofsaid cross bar insaid bearing slot.

18. A warp knitting machine according to claim 17, wherein said member has a second arm formed with'a surface for'lifting said cross bar to raise said guidebar hanger.

19. In a warp knitting machine, the combination "of a guide bar, a hanger for said guide bar including a cross bar, a -bracket including a bearing block for slidably supporting said cross bar, .a rock. shaft having said bracket secured thereto for. movement therewith, a member pivotally mounted on said bracket having its pivot directly beneath said cross bar and having a portion normally overlying said cross bar to retain said cross bar on its bearing block, and means for operating said member to effect release of .said crossbar including a spring element haw'ng one end connected to said operating means and having its other end connected to said member, said .spring element serving to normally urge said member into a position to retain said cross bar on saidbearing block.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Germany SeptsZ'l, Z1938 

